Read a Pacific Northwest, liberal perspective on world, national, and local politics. From majestic Redmond, Washington - the Northwest Progressive Institute Advocate.

Friday, February 13, 2009

U.S. House passes final version of stimulus plan without a single Republican vote

The United States House just voted 246-183 to pass the final version of H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Not surprisingly, the legislation was again opposed by the entire House Republican caucus.

So, Dave Reichert, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Doc Hastings, Greg Walden, Mike Simpson, Dong Young, Denny Rehberg ... we'd love to hear your answer to this question: Why do you hate America?

To be fair, there are seven Democrats who also apparently don't care if our nation's economy falls off a cliff and smashes into smithereens. Among those seven are Idaho's Walt Minnick and Oregon's Peter DeFazio, who deserve the same scorn as the Republicans. The courageous thing to do would have been to vote yes.

Republicans are hypocrites. Just months ago they were falling over themselves to approve Dubya's requests for money. They were for the funding of the occupation of Iraq. They were for the big bank bailout.

But now? They're against investing in America's common wealth. Against desperately needed public works projects. Against aid to states.

Against helping people.

Republican leader John Boehner doesn't have a problem spending billions upon billions of dollars - as long it's for Iraq. As he said back in June of 2008:
"The cost of this bill, frankly, is high, but it's a price for freedom. And I don't think you can put a price on freedom and security in our country."

- John Boehner (June 15th, 2008)
Oh really?
"They're moving on this path along the flawed notion that we can borrow and spend our way back to prosperity."

- John Boehner (January 15th, 2009)
What a difference seven months makes.

Now that President Obama is in charge, Republicans have turned on a dime and are preaching the virtues of fiscal restraint again, even though fiscal restraint was the last thing they were concerned about during the Bush error.

Republicans wasted and squandered America's treasury for eight years. But now that Democrats are proposing that we spend money wisely creating jobs and building up our economy, House Republicans are opposed. Unanimously opposed.

Let the record show that in the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression decades ago, Republicans voted against investing in America's future. All Republicans seem to care about is themselves.

Comments:

Blogger LDJ said...

I believe you missed an important vote. Lane County's own Peter DeFazio voted with Minnick and the Republicans.

The man is becoming an embarrassment with these symbolic protest votes. The local economy is imploding but he makes 'safe' protest votes. I hate to say it, but I want a new Representative.

February 13, 2009 6:21 PM  

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